Tavern & Tap (Lansing, MI)

~ White Cheddar & Bacon Mac N Cheese ~

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let’s not kid ourselves, this mac looks like it was taken straight out of Bon Appétit Magazine – just look at the artful sprinkling of chives across the top. This may just be the most aesthetic mac & cheese dish I have ever encountered; a bold claim, I know.

Flavor:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The balance between the cheesiness, the chives, the bacon, and the slight kiss of garlic from the breadcrumbs was perfectly harmonious. This is not just some fresh take on macaroni and cheese – this is cuisine, folks.

Creaminess:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely superb. In my humble opinion, the best macs have a substantial amount of cream sauce on the bottom that can be mixed in – as you may imagine, Tavern & Tap’s mac nailed that.

Cheesiness:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Exquisite. White cheddar tends to provide a classier touch, partly because it blends so smoothly with other flavors, and partly because of the color, I imagine.

Texture:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The texture of this mac was absolutely phenomenal, which can be mostly attributed to the breadcrumbs. First and foremost, the breadcrumbs were more finely ground than most, which gives them a much crunchier toasting without being difficult to chew. Secondly, there was a generous quantity than your average mac, which allowed almost every bite to have the same great crunch. Of course, I can’t forget to mention the bacon bits and perfectly cooked cavatappi that really hit the texture of this dish home.

Overall Experience:

Hats off to you, Tavern & Tap, because this is one of the best macaroni and cheeses that I have ever had.